Photo: Rev. Kathryn M Schreiber ©2022. Worship format and original content: Rev. Kathryn M. Schreiber ©2022.

We Gather

“A spiritually of awareness, of choice, of risk, of transformation… is about the embrace of life, the pursuit of wholeness, the acceptance of others, the call to co-creation.” – Sister Joan Chittister, 21st-century Christian prophet

Prelude (piano solo)

Welcome and Acknowledgements (pastor)

Welcome! Everyone is welcome here! Through Jesus Christ, we are called together as the Beloved Community. Welcome guests.

We honor this holy ground, unceded territory of the Lisjan-Ohlone people, committed to healing relations among all peoples.

Altar Flowers (for the Glory of God)

Invocation “United Church of Christ Statement of Faith” (Robert V. Moss, adaptation; liturgist)

We believe in God, the Eternal Spirit, who is made known to us in Jesus our brother, and to whose deeds we testify:

God calls the worlds into being, creates humankind in the divine image, and sets before us the ways of life and death.

God seeks in holy love to save all people from aimlessness and sin.

God judges all humanity and all nations by that will of righteousness declared through prophets and apostles.

In Jesus Christ, the man of Nazareth, our crucified and risen Lord, God has come to us and shared our common lot, conquering sin and death and reconciling the whole creation to its Creator.

God bestows upon us the Holy Spirit, creating and renewing the church of Jesus Christ, binding in covenant faithful people of all ages, tongues, and races.

God calls us into the church to accept the cost and joy of discipleship, to be servants in the service of the whole human family, to proclaim the gospel to all the world and resist the powers of evil, to share in Christ’s baptism and eat at his table, to join him in his passion and victory.

God promises to all who trust in the gospel forgiveness of sins and fullness of grace, courage in the struggle for justice and peace, the presence of the Holy Spirit in trial and rejoicing, and eternal life in that kingdom which has no end.

Blessing and honor, glory and power be unto God. Amen. (ucc)

Light The Christ Candle (liturgist or pastor)

Welcoming Those Not Physically Present (pastor lights votives on altar)

Passing the Peace (everyone shares gestures and words of peace)

We Rest in God’s Grace

Prayer and Silence (pastor)

Let us shift into silence in God’s presence with this simple prayer based on Psalm 46:10.

Be still and know that I am God. (Breathe slowly)

Be still and know that I am. (Breathe slowly)

Be still and know. (Breathe slowly)

Be still. (Breathe slowly)

Be. (Breathe slowly)

(Breathe in silence)

Amen.

Assurance of Grace (pastor)

Dear Ones, let us collectively put down what we have carried that God is already carrying. It may be that we are cutting new trails while God waits for us at paved paths already provided.

Let us remember Jesus Christ’s invitation to still into compassion’s wisdom within and among – to shift focus from looping histories and favorite fantasies to be with God now as God does a New Thing among us, with us, for us. Let us fall, again, willingly open to God’s reforming grace. Amen.

Special Music (piano solo)

We Listen

Scripture: Isaiah 43:15-21 (translation: NRSV; liturgist)

Isaiah 43:15-21 

I am the Lord, your Holy One,
   the Creator of Israel, your King.
Thus says the Lord,
   who makes a way in the sea,
   a path in the mighty waters,
who brings out chariot and horse,
   army and warrior;
they lie down, they cannot rise,
   they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
Do not remember the former things,
   or consider the things of old.
I am about to do a new thing;
   now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
   and rivers in the desert.
The wild animals will honor me,
   the jackals and the ostriches;
for I give water in the wilderness,
   rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
   the people whom I formed for myself
so that they might declare my praise.

May God add a blessing to the reading and reflecting upon God’s Holy Word. Amen.

Message: “GOD’s New Thing” (pastor)

What no longer serves? WHERE is God and WHAT is God using to make a new way forward? What might we release to be open to God’s New Thing?

Special Music (piano solo)

We Pray

Pastoral Prayer (pastor)

Holy One, what wonders You daily perform for all beings! We rejoice in Your innovative faithfulness and praise You! We also ask that You, O God, will continue to transform us – as individuals, families, communities, nations, and global neighbors. We ask this for our congregation, too, trusting You are indeed doing a “new thing” we cannot even imagine. Fill us with hope and excitement for what is coming! Amen.

Prayers of the People, Private Prayer, The Lord’s Prayer (pastor)

Offering of Praise “Doxology” (musician; all) Before worship, please leave donations in the basket in the entryway or mail to the church.

Announcements (pastor)

Communion Song: “I Come with Joy” Chalice Hymnal #420 (musician; masks on, singing softly)

We Relocate Outside

Please transition outside, picking up individually wrapped Holy Communion elements.

We Celebrate Holy Communion

Prayer of Invitation (pastor)

In a strange way, this going outside for Holy Communion has literally kept us in physical transition as we return to in-person practices. This “new thing” is part of our pandemic style – to observe the ancient rite of Holy Communion AND to do it in a new way for the safety of one another.

Whenever we gather at The Lord’s Table we do so as a communion of souls – those physically present and those who gather in intention from earth and heaven. Let us now name those who are with us today… (say names out loud)

Consecration of Elements (pastor)

Let us pray:

Holy God – known to us as Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit – we ask Your blessing upon this assembly and these elements. Fill us with Your presence that we might be receptive to the novel ways You are moving in our midst. Thank You. Amen.

Sharing the Elements

Jesus loved to reframe historic practices to focus upon the ever-inbreaking presence of God in this world among a specific household or community, in a specific place, in a specific moment. The Eternal Christ continues to engage us weaving together the past and the present, preparing us to be moved forward by God.

Jesus lifted up the loaf, gave thanks to God, broke it, and said: “Take, eat. This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

We receive this blessed bread with great appreciation and hope for what the Living Christ is calling forth. (eat bread)

After supper, Jesus lifted up the cup, gave thanks to God, and offered it to them saying: “Drink this, all of you. This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

We receive this sanctified cup with gratitude leaving behind what has been forgiven that we might be available for the new things the Living Christ is doing. (drink from cup)

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Let us pray:

For the gift and grace of being on this surprising journey with You, Eternal Christ, and with these dear friends, we give thanks. We are grateful, too, for this mystical communion, a connection with dear ones throughout time and space. For what You continue to do and be, and for what You are calling forth, we give thanks, Beloved Jesus Christ. Amen.

Benediction (pastor)

Dear Ones, never underestimate the beauty and the power of God’s Big Love as it pluses among and through us. May God use us in new ways to do new things for God’s glory, for the uplift of our neighbors, and for the joy of our own precious souls. Truly, may we go forth with new hope and new peace. Amen.

Postlude (none because we are outside)

The service is concluded.

Worship Resources:

(kms) All content prepared and written by Rev. Kathryn M Schreiber, unless attributed to another source.

(jc) Joan Chittister, The Time is Now: A Call to Uncommon Courage. © 2019.

(ucc) United Church of Christ, https://www.ucc.org/what-we-believe/worship/statement-of-faith/

Two sermon resources from very current discussions about the call to change lead by God see:

(dz) Dr Dwight Zscheile, Luther Seminary webinar; 3/28/2022.

(jw) John Wimberly, https://www.congregationalconsulting.org/; 3/28/2022.

Residency Acknowledgement: This content was written in Huichin Village, unceded territory of the Lisjan- Ohlone people, where I dwell and serve as a local church pastor. Please support indigenous rematriation efforts, the #LandBack movement, and give to Sogorea Te’ Land Trust Soghttps://sogoreate-landtrust.org/ and other non-profits that reform, balance, and heal relationships with our indigenous hosts. Thank you!

Copyright Note: Copyright laws changed in December 2020 when Congress passed the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act of 2020 (CASE Act). Please check with your legal counsel as to the appropriate use of licensed materials, especially print and recorded music when sharing content online. Please observe ethical use of resources and follow the publishing requirements of any broadcasting or publishing platforms you use. Protect the rights of content creators. Thank you!

Online Publishing Date: March 28, 2022.

Permission: Permission is not granted to share or distribute this resource beyond your community without additional permission from the author. Please attribute source and observe ethical use of all resources. Follow your platforms’ publishing requirements for all created content especially if publishing online or broadcasting. Thank you!

Donation: Due to the current coronavirus pandemic this content is offered free. If you’d like to support the congregation I serve as pastor – Berkeley Chinese Community Church – we’d be most grateful for your support. Please send checks to: BCCC UCC, 2117 Acton Street, Berkeley, CA 94702, Attn: Diane Huie, Treasurer. Thank you!For Online Content: Please see Facebook pages: “Berkeley Chinese Community Church” and “Living Liturgies”; as well as my website: www.inthebiglove.com and YouTube channel: “Kathryn Schreiber

Photo: Rev. Kathryn M Schreiber ©2022. Worship format and original content: Rev. Kathryn M. Schreiber ©2022.

We Gather

“This living stream I so desire, I see it in this bread of life, even during the night.” –St John of the Cross, (trans Ken Krabbenhoft), 16^th century Spanish Christian spiritual guide

Prelude (musician)

Welcome and Acknowledgements (pastor)

Welcome! Everyone is welcome here! Through Jesus Christ, we are called together as the Beloved Community.  Welcome guests and visitors.

We honor this holy ground, unceded territory of the Lisjan-Ohlone people, committed to healing relations among all peoples.

Altar Flowers (tba)

Invocation (liturgist)

In the terrible transition times, O Lord, Thank You for sending Bread from Heaven.

In the territorial transition times, O Lord, Thank You for maintaining the Bounty of the Earth.

In these troubling transitional times, O Lord, Thank You for encouraging us to use the skills and wisdom You have given us to do what is ours to do. Amen.

Light The Christ Candle (liturgist or pastor)

Welcoming Those Not Physically Present (musician plays as pastor lights votives on altar)

Passing the Peace (everyone shares gestures and words of peace)

We Rest in God’s Grace

Prayer and Silence (pastor)

Let us shift into silence in God’s presence with this simple prayer based on Psalm 46:10.

Be still and know that I am God. (Breathe slowly)

Be still and know that I am. (Breathe slowly)

Be still and know. (Breathe slowly)

Be still. (Breathe slowly)

Be. (Breathe slowly)

(Breathe in silence)

Amen.

Assurance of Grace (pastor)

In the midst of significant personal and social shifts, it may seem God’s presence has changed. When God doesn’t seem as responsive as in the past, it is wise to remember God’s care for us has appropriately changed in form.

God grants us vast freedom. Just as a loving parent will not do for a child what is the child’s to learn to do for herself, God will never overpower our mortal agency. God will, however, always lure us forward, gracefully offering us encouragement to grow. Often, when we can’t perceive God’s grace in the moment, but we will later on.

Special Music (musician)

We Listen

Scripture: Exodus 16:1-4a, 9-12, 35 & Joshua 5:10-12 (translation: NRSV) (liturgist) These passages remind us of God’s gift of “manna” given to the liberated Hebrews while in the wilderness, and the ending that heavenly gift when they reached Canaan.

Exodus 16:1-4a, 9-12, 35

The whole congregation of the Israelites set out from Elim; and Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.’ Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day.

Then Moses said to Aaron, ‘Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, “Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.”’ And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked towards the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. The Lord spoke to Moses and said, ‘I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, “At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.”’

The Israelites ate manna for forty years, until they came to a habitable land; they ate manna, until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. 

AND

Joshua 5:10-12

While the Israelites were encamped in Gilgal they kept the Passover in the evening on the fourteenth day of the month in the plains of Jericho. On the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. The manna ceased on the day they ate the produce of the land, and the Israelites no longer had manna; they ate the crops of the land of Canaan that year.

May God add a blessing to the reading and reflecting upon God’s Holy Word. Amen.

Message: “Holy Change” (pastor) God invites humanity to enter holy seasons of change — biblically, often for 40 days and nights or 40 years. God is inviting all of us into seasons of social change over long periods of time.

Special Music (musician)

We Pray

Pastoral Prayer (pastor)

Eternal Companion, thank You for Your faithfulness to humanity and all living beings. Thank You for Your patience when we complain and question Your faithfulness. And, Thank You for Your genuine care when You step aside that we might do what is ours to do. Grant us the confidence to trust in Your wisdom, especially as our responsibilities change. Amen.

Prayers of the People, Private Prayer, The Lord’s Prayer (pastor)

Offering of Praise “Doxology” (musician; all) Before worship, please leave donations in the basket in the entryway.

Dedication of One Great Hour of Sharing Offerings (pastor)

Basket of offerings is brought forward.

Let us join our UCC sisters and brothers as we bless all One Great Hour of Sharing Offerings presented today:

“We offer these gifts, O God, in the spirit of love. May the gifts that we offer this day embody our loving response to Your great love for us. Through these gifts, may others feel the love of Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen.” (OGHS)

Offerings are placed on the altar.

Announcements (pastor)

• Ukraine Emergency Appeal
• Cal Project help

We Transition

Hymn “All Who Hunger, Gather Gladly” Chalice Hymnal #419 Words: Sylvia Dunstan, 1990; Music: William Moore, Columbian Harmony, 1825. (musician plays; if all present agree, we’ll sing softly – masks on)

Benediction (pastor)

God is always with and for us. God’s provisions change when it is time for us to mature. When what “used to be” hasn’t quite been replaced with “what is coming into being,” may God grant us the peace and patience needed to maneuver change. In the Peace of Christ, Amen!

Postlude (musician)

The service is concluded.

Worship Resources:

(kms) All content prepared and written by Rev. Kathryn M Schreiber, unless attributed to another source.

(OGHS) Worship resources sent to UCC churches, ©2022.

Residency Acknowledgement: This content was written in Huichin Village, unceded territory of the Lisjan- Ohlone people, where I dwell and serve as a local church pastor. Please support indigenous rematriation efforts, the #LandBack movement, and give to Sogorea Te’ Land Trust Soghttps://sogoreate-landtrust.org/ and other non-profits that reform, balance, and heal relationships with our indigenous hosts. Thank you!

Copyright Note: Copyright laws changed in December 2020 when Congress passed the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act of 2020 (CASE Act). Please check with your legal counsel as to the appropriate use of licensed materials, especially print and recorded music when sharing content online. Please observe ethical use of resources and follow the publishing requirements of any broadcasting or publishing platforms you use. Protect the rights of content creators. Thank you!

Online Publishing Date: March 22, 2022.

Permission: Permission is not granted to share or distribute this resource beyond your community without additional permission from the author. Please attribute source and observe ethical use of all resources. Follow your platforms’ publishing requirements for all created content especially if publishing online or broadcasting. Thank you!

Donation: Due to the current coronavirus pandemic this content is offered free. If you’d like to support the congregation I serve as pastor – Berkeley Chinese Community Church – we’d be most grateful for your support. Please send checks to: BCCC UCC, 2117 Acton Street, Berkeley, CA 94702, Attn: Diane Huie, Treasurer. Thank you!

For Online Content: Please see Facebook pages: “Berkeley Chinese Community Church” and “Living Liturgies”; as well as my website: www.inthebiglove.com and YouTube channel: “Kathryn Schreiber”

Photo: Rev. Kathryn M Schreiber ©2022, close up of artwork (c)1978. Worship format and original content: Rev. Kathryn M. Schreiber ©2022.

Our Lenten journey this year features examples of God’s evolving companionship with the Hebrew people during significant transitions. These stories speak to our own Turning Time as we, too, look back, take a breath, and ponder a better future.

Ash Wednesday: “Tender Return” Joel 2. God’s MERCY (w/imposition of ashes) (published 2/22/22) A call for individual and communal humbling before God for the wellbeing of all beings.

Lent 1: “God’s Faithfulness: Gratitude for What WILL Come” Deuteronomy 26:1-11 with Installation of Officers and Holy Communion (published 3/1/22) Being grateful for what has not yet come – growing a spiritual imagination and trust in God.

Lent 2: “God’s Promises: Aligning to Wonder” Genesis 15:1-9 (published 3/10/22) God’s middle of the night conversation with Abram; honesty + wonder = new possibilities

Lent 3: “God’s Guidance: The Better Way Forward” Isaiah 55:1-9 (published 3/15/22) Taking a pause to be led by God; open to divine wisdom and guidance – despite our personal agendas.

Lent 4: “God’s Provision: Manna to Harvest” Joshua 5:9-12 (published 3/22/22) God provides as help is needed, but doesn’t encourage dependence. God’s gifts are not crutches to keep us reliant upon God in our weaknesses.

Lent 5: “God’s Innovation: A New Thing” Isaiah 43:15-21 (published 3/28/22) Opening to God’s New Thing after a season of loss.

Lent 6/Palm Sunday: “God’s Eternal Response: Steadfast Love” with Global Palm Processional Psalm 118:1-4; 19-29 and Luke 19:35-38 – waving palms (seated) and proclaiming God’s goodness in all places of suffering.

Maundy Thursday-Good Friday: “God’s Liberating Presence: Passover and Passion: Exodus 12:1-13, Psalm 22, and Stations of the Cross (published 4/1/2022) Liberation from physical and psychological slavery, God provides a way out of suffering and sin in all times, in many ways.

Easter: “God’s Presence: More to Come” John 20:1-18 (w/Holy Communion) What is still in progress? Where is God through the Eternal Christ rising among us?

Photo: Rev. Kathryn M Schreiber ©2022. Worship format and original content: Rev. Kathryn M. Schreiber ©2022.

We Gather

“Your soul knows the geography of your destiny. Your soul alone has the map of your future, therefore you can trust this indirect, oblique side of yourself. If you do, it will take you where you need to go, but more important it will teach you a kindness of rhythm in your journey.” — John O’Donohue, 21^st century Irish Christian spiritual guide

Prelude (musician)

Welcome and Acknowledgements (pastor)

Welcome! Everyone is welcome here! Through Jesus Christ, we are called together as the Beloved Community. (Greet guest musician and visitors) We honor this holy ground, unceded territory of the Lisjan-Ohlone people, committed to healing relations among all peoples.

Altar Flowers

Invocation (liturgist)

This Lent we travel with Jesus’ ancestors through times of critical transition. This Sunday, we listen to the great Hebrew prophet, Isaiah’s, message from God – a call to divine wisdom. As we carry the woes of the world, may the Light of God’s Illumination guide us. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Light The Christ Candle (liturgist or pastor)

Welcoming Those Not Physically Present (musician plays as pastor lights votives on altar)

Passing the Peace (everyone shares gestures and words of peace)

We Rest in God’s Grace

Prayer and Silence (pastor)

Let us shift into silence in God’s presence with this simple prayer based on Psalm 46:10.

Be still and know that I am God. (Breathe slowly)

Be still and know that I am. (Breathe slowly)

Be still and know. (Breathe slowly)

Be still. (Breathe slowly)

Be. (Breathe slowly)

(Breathe in silence)

Amen.

Assurance of Grace (pastor)

In times of distress we tend to react strongly. Some will jump into action as adrenaline flows. Others will be overcome with raw emotions and withdraw. And some will be swept up into a swirl of competing thoughts and impulses, unable to land our response. Thankfully, God calls us to focus upon the Divine Source of all Wisdom. From God, we may receive the help needed to deeply transform reoccurring problems.

When trouble arises, in our homes or across the sea, let us listen for the grace of God’s guidance. Let us meditate on the Way of Christ, a way forward bringing the most good to the most beings. Let us patiently trust the grace of divine guidance. God is with us and for all of us. Always.

Special Music (musician)

We Listen

Scripture: Isaiah 55: 1-9 (translation: NRSV) (liturgist)

Ho, everyone who thirsts,
   come to the waters;
and you that have no money,
   come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
   without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
   and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,
   and delight yourselves in rich food.

Incline your ear, and come to me;
   listen, so that you may live.
I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
   my steadfast, sure love for David.
See, I made King David a witness to the peoples,
   a leader and commander for the peoples.
See, you shall call nations that you do not know,
   and nations that do not know you shall run to you,
because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel,
   for God has glorified you.
Seek the Lord while God may be found,
   call upon God while God is near;
let the wicked forsake their way,
   and the unrighteous their thoughts;
let them return to the Lord, that God may have mercy on them,
   and to our God, for God will abundantly pardon.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
   nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
   so are my ways higher than your ways
   and my thoughts than your thoughts.

May God add a blessing to the reading and reflecting upon God’s Holy Word. Amen.

Message: “Taking a Pause” (pastor) Amid many challenges and responsibilities, taking a pause to seek God’s wisdom may make a world of difference.

Special Music (musician)

We Pray

Pastoral Prayer (pastor)

Holy One, we are hungry for more than food and thirsty for more than water. We desire to know Your Ways – to think and do as You would have us do. Thank You, Source of All Life, for sending Jesus Christ to embody noble humanity. May we imitate the Beloved Christ carefully choosing our thoughts, words, and actions, making tangible Your transforming ways. Amen.

Prayers of the People, Private Prayer, The Lord’s Prayer (pastor)

Offering of Praise “Doxology” (musician; all – softly)

Please leave your donations in the basket in the entryway. Donations may also be mailed to the church, attn: Treasurer Diane Huie.

Announcements (pastor)

• OGHS Promotion this week – handouts, envelopes
• Ukraine Emergency Appeal

We Transition

Hymn “Be Thou My Vision” Chalice Hymnal #595 Words: Mary E Byrne; Music: Traditional Irish melody.  (musician)

Benediction (pastor)

God is always with us! God is always broadcasting a better way forward. God is always streaming higher thoughts to elevate our minds. God desires life abundant for all beings. May we be guided by God’s Big Love – going forth in peace and love, hope and right actions. Amen.

Postlude (musician)

The service is concluded.

Worship Resources:

(kms) All content prepared and written by Rev. Kathryn M Schreiber, unless attributed to another source.

Residency Acknowledgement: This content was written in Huichin Village, unceded territory of the Lisjan- Ohlone people, where I dwell and serve as a local church pastor. Please support indigenous rematriation efforts, the #LandBack movement, and give to Sogorea Te’ Land Trust Soghttps://sogoreate-landtrust.org/ and other non-profits that reform, balance, and heal relationships with our indigenous hosts. Thank you!

Copyright Note: Copyright laws changed in December 2020 when Congress passed the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act of 2020 (CASE Act). Please check with your legal counsel as to the appropriate use of licensed materials, especially print and recorded music when sharing content online. Please observe ethical use of resources and follow the publishing requirements of any broadcasting or publishing platforms you use. Protect the rights of content creators. Thank you!

Online Publishing Date: March 15, 2022.

Permission: Permission is not granted to share or distribute this resource beyond your community without additional permission from the author. Please attribute source and observe ethical use of all resources. Follow your platforms’ publishing requirements for all created content especially if publishing online or broadcasting. Thank you!

Donation: Due to the current coronavirus pandemic this content is offered free. If you’d like to support the congregation I serve as pastor – Berkeley Chinese Community Church – we’d be most grateful for your support. Please send checks to: BCCC UCC, 2117 Acton Street, Berkeley, CA 94702, Attn: Diane Huie, Treasurer. Thank you!

For Online Content: Please see Facebook pages: “Berkeley Chinese Community Church” and “Living Liturgies”; as well as my website: www.inthebiglove.com and YouTube channel: “Kathryn Schreiber”

Photo: Rev. Kathryn M Schreiber ©2022. Worship format and original content: Rev. Kathryn M. Schreiber ©2022.

We Gather

“To see a World in a Grain of Sand / And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, / Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand / And Eternity in an hour.” ― William Blake, Auguries of Innocence

Prelude (Vicky)

Welcome and Acknowledgements (pastor)

Welcome! We gather in this holy place as we begin the sacred season of Lent. Through Jesus Christ, we are called together as the Beloved Community. (Greet visitors) We honor this holy ground, unceded territory of the Lisjan-Ohlone people, committed to healing relations among all peoples.

Altar Flowers

Invocation (liturgist)

This Lent we travel with Jesus’ ancestors through times of critical transition. May their authentic, astonishing faith in God’s fabulous promises inspire radical hope in us. We ask this in the name and light of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Light The Christ Candle (liturgist or pastor)

Welcoming Those Not Physically Present (Vicky plays as pastor lights votives on altar)

Passing the Peace (everyone shares gestures and words of peace)

We Rest in God’s Grace

Prayer and Silence (pastor)

Let us shift into silence in God’s presence with this simple prayer based on Psalm 46:10.

Be still and know that I am God. (Breathe slowly)

Be still and know that I am. (Breathe slowly)

Be still and know. (Breathe slowly)

Be still. (Breathe slowly)

Be. (Breathe slowly)

(Breathe in silence)

Amen.

Assurance of Grace (pastor)

The Bible is filled with stories of spiritual leaders talking with God – including their inability to believe in God’s boldest dreams. In these dialogues, God invites humanity to move through our internal challenges to enter a conscious openness to God’s magnificent promises. This Lent, may we have the courage to speak candidly with God that God may open us with wonder, hope, faith, and trust. What a grace it is to be honest with God.

Special Music (Vicky)

We Listen

Scripture: Genesis 15: 1-9 (transliteration: The Book of God, Walter Wangerin) (liturgist)

Then, in the middle of that night, God spoke.

          Fear not, Abram, God said, calling the old man by name. I am your shield. Your reward shall be very great.

          Abram did not move. He did not so much as shift his eye from the orange lamp-flame. But his jaw tightened.

          God said, Abram, northward of his place, southward and eastward and westward – all over the land as far as you can see, I will give to you and to your descendants forever.

          Still motionless and so softly that the wind outside concealed the sound of it even from his own ears, Abram breathed out these words: “So you have said. So you have said. But what, O Lord God, can you give us as long as we continue childless? “

          A wind took hold of the tent-flap and lifted it like a linen. The tent-flame glass guttered and went out.

          God said, Come. Abram, come outside.

On his hands and knees the old man obeyed.

          God said, Raise your eyes to heaven. Look to the stars, Abram. Count them. Can you count them?

          The old man said, “No. I cannot count them. They are too many. “

          Even so many, said the Lord God, shall be your descendants upon the earth.

          With the same gaze as he had earlier turned upon the lamp-flame Abram gaze toward heaven. Now there was no wind at all. The air was absolutely still. Nothing moved in the land, except that the man could hear the sighing of his old wife inside her compartment. 

          Abram said, “Is it required than that a slave born within my household must be my heir?“

          God said, Your own son shall be your heir.

          Abram said, “How shall I know that? How can I know, when you have given us no offspring?“

          Then the word of the Lord came to the old man.

          Abram? Said God. Have you seeing how a king will by a covenant establish his promise with his servant? Tomorrow, Abram. Tomorrow prepare the beasts. I am the Lord who brought you here to give you this land. Tomorrow I will make my covenant with you – and thereby shall you surely know my promises to you!

May God add a blessing to the reading and reflecting upon God’s Holy Word. Amen.

Message: “Aligning to Wonder” (pastor) God tells Abram to leave his tent and look up at the nighttime stars – to fall up into wonder and faith in divine reality.

Special Music (Vicky)

We Pray

Pastoral Prayer (pastor)

Most Trustworthy One, sometimes we lose our way. We nurse our hurts and confusions, turning our gaze away from the wonders You have promised. Holy One, lure us away from unhelpful thoughts and feelings that we might join You, faces turned upward, to the brilliant star-filled night sky – open, open, open – to Your dreams for all Creation. Amen.

Prayers of the People, Private Prayer, The Lord’s Prayer (pastor)

Offering of Praise “Doxology” (Vicky; all)

Please leave your donations in the basket in the entryway. Donations may also be mailed to the church, attn: Treasurer Diane Huie.

Announcements (pastor)

• Begin OGHS Promotion this week – handouts, envelopes
• Ukraine Emergency Appeal

We Relocate Outside

Moving Music (Vicky) Please transition outside.

Song: “Over My Head” African-American spiritual. TNCH # 514 (acapella)

Benediction (pastor)

When any kind of shadow falls – whenever we find ourselves huddled in tents of disbelief, may God blow open tent doors inviting us outside to look up! May our ancestors of faith join us, reminding us we are evidence of God’s Promises fulfilled – we are the stars Abram and Sarai once saw in dawning wonder. Go forth in peace, and in wonder, Dear Ones. Amen.

The service is concluded.

Worship Resources:

(kms) All content prepared and written by Rev. Kathryn M Schreiber, unless attributed to another source.

Residency Acknowledgement: This content was written in Huichin Village, unceded territory of the Lisjan- Ohlone people, where I dwell and serve as a local church pastor. Please support indigenous rematriation efforts, the #LandBack movement, and give to Sogorea Te’ Land Trust Soghttps://sogoreate-landtrust.org/ and other non-profits that reform, balance, and heal relationships with our indigenous hosts. Thank you!

Copyright Note: Copyright laws changed in December 2020 when Congress passed the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act of 2020 (CASE Act). Please check with your legal counsel as to the appropriate use of licensed materials, especially print and recorded music when sharing content online. Please observe ethical use of resources and follow the publishing requirements of any broadcasting or publishing platforms you use. Protect the rights of content creators. Thank you!

Online Publishing Date: March 10, 2022.

Permission: Permission is not granted to share or distribute this resource beyond your community without additional permission from the author. Please attribute source and observe ethical use of all resources. Follow your platforms’ publishing requirements for all created content especially if publishing online or broadcasting. Thank you!

Donation: Due to the current coronavirus pandemic this content is offered free. If you’d like to support the congregation I serve as pastor – Berkeley Chinese Community Church – we’d be most grateful for your support. Please send checks to: BCCC UCC, 2117 Acton Street, Berkeley, CA 94702, Attn: Diane Huie, Treasurer. Thank you!

For Online Content: Please see Facebook pages: “Berkeley Chinese Community Church” and “Living Liturgies”; as well as my website: www.inthebiglove.com and YouTube channel: “Kathryn Schreiber”

Photo: Rev. Kathryn M Schreiber ©2022. Worship format and original content: Rev. Kathryn M. Schreiber ©2022.

We Gather

“God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, You who have brought us thus far on the way; You who have by Your might, Led us into the light, Keep us forever in the path, we pray.” – James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938) lyrics from “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing”

Welcome and Acknowledgements (pastor)

Welcome! It is GOOD to back together in this holy place as we begin the sacred season of Lent. Jesus Christ has called us together as Beloved Community united by the Holy Spirit. We honor this holy ground, unceded territory of the Lisjan-Ohlone people, committed to healing relations among all peoples.

Altar Flowers: For the Glory of God

Invocation (liturgist)

Eternal Christ, we begin this Lenten journey with You and Your ancestors. Jesus Christ, we ask Your blessing upon this spiritual season offering ourselves to You. May this Beloved Community be refined for the wellbeing of all beings. Amen.

Light The Christ Candle (liturgist or pastor)

Welcoming Those Not Physically Present (musician plays as pastor lights votives on the altar)

Passing the Peace (everyone shares gestures and words of peace)

We Rest in God’s Grace

Prayer and Silence (pastor)

Let us shift into silence in God’s presence with this simple prayer based on Psalm 46:10.

Be still and know that I am God. (Breathe slowly)

Be still and know that I am. (Breathe slowly)

Be still and know. (Breathe slowly)

Be still. (Breathe slowly)

Be. (Breathe slowly)

(Breathe in silence)

Amen.

Assurance of Grace (pastor)

Before we notice, before we ask, God already knows our deepest joys and concerns. God is always as close as our souls. Today, our first Sunday back together in-person since Christmas Eve, God already knows the joy we feel in this reunion and the sorrow we feel for those who are missing. God has always been tending us, tending everyone. Let us rest in the grace of God’s incomprehensible love and eternal faithfulness.

Song or Special Music:

We Listen

Scripture: Deuteronomy 26:1-11 (version: NRSV) (liturgist)

When you have come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, and you possess it, and settle in it, you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for His name. 

You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time, and say to him,

“Today I declare to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.”

When the priest takes the basket from your hand and sets it down before the altar of the Lord your God, you shall make this response before the Lord your God:

“A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us, we cried to the Lord, the God of our ancestors; the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. The Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that You, O Lord, have given me.”

You shall set the basket down before the Lord your God and bow down before the Lord your God. Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house.

May God add a blessing to the reading and reflecting upon God’s Holy Word. Amen.

Message: “Anticipating God’s Faithfulness” (pastor) God speaks to the liberated Hebrews on their way out of bondage: The refugees WILL settle in a safe place; there WILL be a bountiful harvest for all to share; residents old and new WILL praise God together.

Special Music:

We Pray

Prayer Requests (all)

Pastoral Prayer (pastor)

Faithful One, usually, we are grateful after You have fulfilled our wishes. Pardon our selfishness. Today, on this first Sunday of Lent, we offer praise for the Good Things coming. We are grateful, Eternal Font of Love, for doing far more than we mortals could ever imagine. Open our minds and hearts that we might perceive glimmers of the blessed, healing future You have in store for humanity. Amen.

Prayers of the People, Private Prayer, The Lord’s Prayer (pastor)

Offering of Praise “Doxology” (all; acapella) Please leave your donations in the basket in the entryway. Donations may also be mailed to the church, attn: Treasurer Diane Huie.

We Relocate Outside

Moving Music:

Please transition outside. Pick up Holy Communion elements.

We Install 2022 Lay Leaders

Introduction (pastor)

We are here, together, in a circle. No one is greater than the other. We also knowledge the gifts of the Spirit among us, for God has given us gifts for the fulfillment of our mutual ministry. This is the way Jesus taught us to live and work together. Today, we covenant with those who were elected last Sunday. (Name officers, committees)

Covenants (UCC Book of Worship)

We Celebrate Holy Communion

Prayer of Invitation (pastor)

Everyone, everyone is welcome at God’s Table! God has brought us this far – through the challenges of the pandemic, through a time of change within our congregation, and through the normal ordeals of being human. God has brought us here, right now, to celebrate God’s faithfulness. Everyone, everyone is welcome at God’s Table!

Let us speak the names of those who are not physically present with whom we wish to be spiritually gathered – including people in Ukraine and Russia, especially our Christian siblings, who are in harm’s way. (Say names out loud.)

Consecration of Elements (pastor)

Let us pray:

As we call Your Holy Spirit into these elements, O God, we offer You our First Fruits. You made the plants of the earth and filled the land with various peoples. You lead us from one land to another, from danger to safety. With profound respect and gratitude, Holy One, we offer these communion elements to You remembering Your abiding faithfulness. Amen.

Sharing the Elements

The Hebrew people, preparing to depart Egyptian slavery, celebrated a sacred meal with unleavened bread and fermented juice praising God’s faithfulness with hope for what would come.

Generations later, Jesus and his disciples, preparing for liberation from mortal and moral challenges, celebrated the Exodus meal with bread and wine, joining their ancestors praising God’s faithfulness with hope for what would come.

Today, restored as community in this blessed place with our newly installed lay leaders, we join the ongoing celebration of God’s faithfulness with our safe breads and cups. We know God leads us, too, from bondage to freedom. We praise God’s faithfulness with hope for what will come.

Jesus lifted up the loaf, gave thanks to God, broke it, and said: “Take, eat. This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

We remember Your faithfulness, O Christ. (eat bread)

After supper, Jesus lifted up the cup, gave thanks to God, and offered it to them saying: “Drink this, all of you. This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

We remember Your faithfulness, O Christ. (drink from cup)

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Let us pray:

Beloved God, known to us as Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit, we are truly grateful for You. Bless us in our times of transition. May we work well together exchanging Your Big Love with each other for the uplift of many. Amen.

Announcements (pastor)

Song: “Great is Thy Faithfulness” (Chalice Hymnal #86)

Benediction (pastor, from today’s key scripture)

We are pilgrims on a Lenten journey recipients of God’s best gifts. So blessed, let us go forth in God’s Big Love and Transforming Peace. Amen.

The service is concluded.

Worship Resources:

(kms) All content prepared and written by Rev. Kathryn M Schreiber, unless attributed to another source.

Residency Acknowledgement: This content was written in Huichin Village, unceeded territory of the Lisjan- Ohlone people, where I dwell and serve as a local church pastor. Please support indigenous rematriation efforts, the #LandBack movement, and give to Sogorea Te’ Land Trust Soghttps://sogoreate-landtrust.org/ and other non-profits that reform, balance, and heal relationships with our indigenous hosts. Thank you!

Copyright Note: Copyright laws changed in December 2020 when Congress passed the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act of 2020 (CASE Act). Please check with your legal counsel as to the appropriate use of licensed materials, especially print and recorded music when sharing content online. Please observe ethical use of resources and follow the publishing requirements of any broadcasting or publishing platforms you use. Protect the rights of content creators. Thank you!

Online Publishing Date: March 2, 2022.

Permission: Permission is not granted to share or distribute this resource beyond your community without additional permission from the author. Please attribute source and observe ethical use of all resources. Follow your platforms’ publishing requirements for all created content especially if publishing online or broadcasting. Thank you!

Donation: Due to the current coronavirus pandemic this content is offered free. If you’d like to support the congregation I serve as pastor – Berkeley Chinese Community Church – we’d be most grateful for your support. Please send checks to: BCCC UCC, 2117 Acton Street, Berkeley, CA 94702, Attn: Diane Huie, Treasurer. Thank you!

For Online Content: Please see Facebook pages: “Berkeley Chinese Community Church” and “Living Liturgies”; as well as my website: www.inthebiglove.com and YouTube channel: “Kathryn Schreiber”